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Types Of Pottery
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Published: August 25, 2006
If a sculpture is a three-dimensional work of art, then one certainly should not forget pottery when thinking of artwork. Pottery is the creation of sculptures, or pieces, using clay as a medium. The clay is mixed with other minerals and formed by the artist into objects, such as vases, glasses, or sculptures.
Pottery has become less conventional with the onset of modern mass production. Once used in a more traditional role, pottery has since changed its focus towards the aesthetic, thanks to mechanized reproduction of materials. That means that all those ceramic glasses in your cabinet have most likely been created by a machine. Pottery has evolved to be a more creative process, in which the end result has a handmade, original, and often imaginative look. Pottery pieces have changed to whimsical, artistic pieces that can be displayed in the household much like a painting on a wall. Bowls are no longer just plain bowls when created by a modern-day potter; they come in many shapes, sizes, and designs.
There are several types of pottery, each requiring different firing temperatures, and each composed of different materials. Earthenware, one of the oldest materials used in pottery, is used to make tableware or decorative objects. Once it is fired, it becomes porous and opaque. The color will range from white to red, depending on the raw materials used. It is not as translucent or expensive as other clay materials, but is less durable. Frances Beresford is one modern artist who uses earthenware to create many one-of-a-kind bowls, jars, and teapots. She brings a fantasy element to her artwork and is inspired by animals. She also creates porcelain pieces inspired by nature and fantasy.
Terra cotta, meaning baked earth in Italian, is a clay that is a natural brownish-orange color. It is seen often in bricks, roof shingles, or as a surface embellishment on buildings. It has also been used throughout history for sculpture. The finished product is often lighter and can be glazed to become a very durable material. The process is commonly a lot simpler than with other pottery techniques.
Essentially, stoneware is man-made stone. It is a high-fired clay that is stronger than Earthenware. It is also vitreous, which means that it takes on the characteristics and appearance of glass. It is typically sturdy and chip-resistant, making it the perfect pottery material to use for cooking, baking, and storing items. A modern artist who employs stoneware is Bill Amsterlaw, who uses it to create very whimsical pieces which can be used in everyday life, such as mugs, teapots, pitchers, and vases. Once a physician, Amsterlaw now creates household pottery which inspires the owner's imagination and playfulness.
Finally, there is Porcelain. Though considered strong and durable, it is also brittle, meaning it may fracture when put under stress. It is a translucent material that is, like stoneware, often used for kitchenware. It can also be used for pieces of fine art, or even in the dental field to make false teeth. Porcelain pieces will have a white and shiny shell.
The pottery process will begin with wet clay, usually shaped first with the potter's most basic tool, his hands. There are three ways that pottery is usually formed: wheelwork, handwork, and slipcasting. Throwing is the process of making a piece with a wheel. Wheelwork is done on a potter's wheel to make individual pieces; with a wheel, materials are unable to be perfectly mass-produced. Placing a ball of clay in the center of the wheel, which can be turned with a variable speed motor, the potter can manipulate the clay to turn it into a completed ceramic piece. Handwork, often considered the most primitive method of pottery creation, is where the potter uses clay coils, slabs, and balls of clay to mold a piece. Slipcasting is a technique used to mass-produce pottery, using a mould and liquid clay, called slip. The slip is poured into the moulds and left to dry, then is later removed to finish air drying to make it as durable as possible. Slipcasting is mainly used for small decorative pieces, such as figurines, or for shapes that are not easily made by a pottery wheel.
A completed ceramic sculpture will have been fired in a kiln, which is a thermally insulated chamber or oven. It is used in the production of pottery via a high, controlled temperature. The heat turns the clay into a solid piece, much like an oven bakes cookies. It turns from a wet, easily bendable piece into an immovable solid. Once fired, glaze is able to be applied to the piece, which must then be fired in the kiln again.
Pottery, though a long and involved process, was and still is a method of producing sculptures. It dates back to as early as 10,000 BC! Skilled potters have preserved the technique and have kept pottery linked to the sculpture world forever.
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There are several types of pottery, each requiring different firing temperatures, and each composed of different materials. Earthenware, one of the oldest materials used in pottery, is used to make tableware or decorative objects. Once it is fired, it becomes porous and opaque. The color will range from white to red, depending on the raw materials used. It is not as translucent or expensive as other clay materials, but is less durable. Frances Beresford is one modern artist who uses earthenware to create many one-of-a-kind bowls, jars, and teapots. She brings a fantasy element to her artwork and is inspired by animals. She also creates porcelain pieces inspired by nature and fantasy.
Terra cotta, meaning baked earth in Italian, is a clay that is a natural brownish-orange color. It is seen often in bricks, roof shingles, or as a surface embellishment on buildings. It has also been used throughout history for sculpture. The finished product is often lighter and can be glazed to become a very durable material. The process is commonly a lot simpler than with other pottery techniques.
Essentially, stoneware is man-made stone. It is a high-fired clay that is stronger than Earthenware. It is also vitreous, which means that it takes on the characteristics and appearance of glass. It is typically sturdy and chip-resistant, making it the perfect pottery material to use for cooking, baking, and storing items. A modern artist who employs stoneware is Bill Amsterlaw, who uses it to create very whimsical pieces which can be used in everyday life, such as mugs, teapots, pitchers, and vases. Once a physician, Amsterlaw now creates household pottery which inspires the owner's imagination and playfulness.
Finally, there is Porcelain. Though considered strong and durable, it is also brittle, meaning it may fracture when put under stress. It is a translucent material that is, like stoneware, often used for kitchenware. It can also be used for pieces of fine art, or even in the dental field to make false teeth. Porcelain pieces will have a white and shiny shell.
The pottery process will begin with wet clay, usually shaped first with the potter's most basic tool, his hands. There are three ways that pottery is usually formed: wheelwork, handwork, and slipcasting. Throwing is the process of making a piece with a wheel. Wheelwork is done on a potter's wheel to make individual pieces; with a wheel, materials are unable to be perfectly mass-produced. Placing a ball of clay in the center of the wheel, which can be turned with a variable speed motor, the potter can manipulate the clay to turn it into a completed ceramic piece. Handwork, often considered the most primitive method of pottery creation, is where the potter uses clay coils, slabs, and balls of clay to mold a piece. Slipcasting is a technique used to mass-produce pottery, using a mould and liquid clay, called slip. The slip is poured into the moulds and left to dry, then is later removed to finish air drying to make it as durable as possible. Slipcasting is mainly used for small decorative pieces, such as figurines, or for shapes that are not easily made by a pottery wheel.
A completed ceramic sculpture will have been fired in a kiln, which is a thermally insulated chamber or oven. It is used in the production of pottery via a high, controlled temperature. The heat turns the clay into a solid piece, much like an oven bakes cookies. It turns from a wet, easily bendable piece into an immovable solid. Once fired, glaze is able to be applied to the piece, which must then be fired in the kiln again.
Pottery, though a long and involved process, was and still is a method of producing sculptures. It dates back to as early as 10,000 BC! Skilled potters have preserved the technique and have kept pottery linked to the sculpture world forever.
